The
Wellness Trend: Opportunities to Improve Our Health

Most people who vacation do so to
rejuvenate and de-stress, but frequently return feeling less rejuvenated than
when they left. That’s why it should come as no surprise that travelers report
they now want much more “wellness” in their travel destinations.

According
to a consumer survey by Spa Finder Wellness 365, travelers want a vacation with
healthier food, spa packages, nature experiences, gyms, mindfulness packages,
and eco-conscious programs—and are looking for resorts that offer vacations
that fit these needs.

Wellness
tourism—categorized by travelers that plan a vacation to improve their overall
health or well-being—is a $438.6 billion global industry, with hotels and
resorts making up $93.4 billion of the market, according to a report by Stanford Research Institute (SRI). Those who travel for wellness
purposes are typically wealthy, middle-aged, well-educated travelers from
Western countries who spend more on travel—usually 2 to 3 times more, according
to the Global Spa and Wellness Summit 2013 report.

The
potential for the resort industry is significant, as market share is driven
primarily by the Baby Boomer generation who want to live a longer and better
quality of life. SRI International indicates that wellness tourism is projected
to grow by 9.1 percent annually through 2017.

Current
statistics show that the top five countries for in-bound and out-bound wellness
tourism are the United States, Germany, Japan, France, and Austria. The
predictions, however, indicate that more than half of the projected growth will
take place in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and North Africa.

With
more wellness-minded travelers looking for result-oriented experiences, more
and more timeshare resorts are creating healthier environments with world class
spa and fitness programs. Now that’s a trend we can all feel good about!

To read more on spa and wellness
opportunities in the timeshare industry, check out the article on this topic in the March 2014 issue of Developments magazine.

Asia’s Emerging Market

Timing is everything—and being the first to deliver new and exclusive vacation experiences to consumers is invaluable. Today, Asia represents one of the world’s largest growth markets for tourism and leisure.

Given the sheer size and demographic of the region, its timeshare market is primed to experience incredible growth levels over the next 10 years. Several factors—including a growing and prosperous middle class, shifting consumer preferences and attitudes toward vacationing, and the elimination of currency controls—are all contributing to this region’s fantastic future development.

Asia’s estimated average household income boom, combined with a steady increase in its consumer confidence and spending intentions, are all important growth catalysts for the region. Developers who can capitalize on Asia’s favorable economy and lucrative location are best positioned to secure the land and buying dollars of timeshare travelers seeking memorable vacation experiences.

Another Great ARDA World Convention is in the Books!

By Peter Roth, ARDA Vice President of Marketing and CommunicationsApril 17, 2014

I know that many of you attended this
year’s ARDA World Convention and Exposition in Las Vegas—in fact we
hosted nearly 3,000 timeshare professionals from around the world, with over 35
countries represented! And I think you’ll agree that the content, the
networking, and the all around sentiment were all top notch.

But in case you weren’t able to join us,
here’s a brief rundown of just some of the highlights.

Scott Klososky, a business leader and social technology and
trends guru, was the keynote speaker and he definitely got the crowd thinking
about their use of technology and what it means for their business in the
future. His message was clear: take a chance on embracing technology to reshape
your business now…before you are left behind.

Attendees
also got more “food for thought” from several timeshare CEOs from Disney Vacation Ownership, Marriott
Vacation Club International, Wyndham Vacation Ownership, and Welk Resorts. They
talked about how the industry is evolving to meet the next generation of
customers, technology, products, employees, and distribution channels.

Another
well-attended, positively-reviewed session was “Getting Serious About Social: A Social Media Show & Tell.” The
panelists shared strategies to communicate with consumers before, during, and
after their vacation. And they gave the audience ideas of how to do this
whether they were a social media novice or expert—all geared toward using social media
as a way to engage customers.

At the Awards
Gala on Wednesday night, the best and brightest in the industry were recognized
through the ARDA Awards program. A complete list of winners is available on ARDA’s Awards website. Congratulations
to all!

And finally,
I have to mention the golf, the parties and the camaraderie—it’s often these kinds of activities that
bring the most benefit to attending Convention: the relationships
you take home with you. Hope to see you at the 2015 ARDA World in Orlando!

Expansion in Latin America

Of the 550 million people who reside in Latin America, an impressive one-third is part of the middle class. And this emerging group is expected to grow across the region—presenting substantial opportunities for the leisure industry.

Interval International’s Marcos Agostini, senior vice president of resort sales and business development for the region, says that “both the overall economic health and its emerging middle class are a boon for shared ownership.”

The economic outlook for Latin America is encouraging for the remainder of 2014, with growth projected to be up nearly three percent. The global recovery and faster growth in the United States will also have a positive impact on the region’s expansion.

Millennials Weigh in on Vacations and Timeshare

It seems that whenever I speak with someone in the industry about sales, the conversation quickly gravitates toward Millennials and the tremendous opportunity they provide for the timeshare industry.

A quick Internet search supports why this group and timeshare may fit together so well:

--Millennials take more vacations per year (approximately 4 each year) than Gen Xers (approximately 3) and Baby Boomers (slightly more than 3 annually)

--Millennials rank vacations and travel as the most important reason to save money—even more important than saving for retirement!

If vacations play an integral role in Millennials’ lives, it is clear we should want to understand their values.

In late 2013, the AIF and HSR Associates conducted a series of focus groups with Millennials to better understand how they shop for and purchase vacations, and to identify potential opportunities for the industry.

When planning a vacation, Millennials appear to have four core requirements: unfettered access (their planning is limited only by their inspiration, research skills, and budget), completely customizable, no restrictions, and excellent value.

From this and other observations we are able to capture some significant insights.

--Millennials seem very apprehensive about commitment, so positioning timeshare as a life-long ownership product instead of an alternative to the next vacation can make the thought of timeshare a non-starter. Deliver a great vacation and create a relationship—and thus a credible, trustworthy source on the short-list for their next vacation.

--Leverage the superiority of timeshare lodging units over traditional hotel rooms. Focus group participants consistently expressed very positive reactions toward lodging units, and specifically enjoyed having a kitchen. In the absence of price, timeshare units generated greater preference than traditional hotel rooms. When learning of the similarity of price points between hotel rooms and timeshare units, participants appeared to view timeshare much more favorably.

--Promote flexibility and choice. While some Millennials may view these characteristics in almost unrealistic terms, it may be sufficient to start a conversation with them.